NFL Roundup Wednesday’s news and notes

Browns: The losses are piling up for the Cleveland Browns. They’ve placed punter Dave Zastudil and tight end Steve Heiden on injured reserve with season-ending injuries. Zastudil, who was leading the league with 25 punts inside the 20-yard-line, is done because of an injured right knee. Heiden injured his ankle in Monday night’s loss to Baltimore. He had off-season knee surgery and had missed two games with a knee injury. Already this season, the Browns (1-8) have lost starting inside linebackers D’Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton. The team claimed wide receiver Jake Allen and linebacker Arnold Harrision off waivers.

Steelers: Safety Troy Polamalu wore a heavy brace on his reinjured left knee while watching practice Wednesday and did not take part in any drills. Polamalu limped off the field about 30 minutes before practice ended and did not answer questions. He is all but certain to miss Sunday’s game at Kansas City, and he might not be ready for Baltimore on Nov. 29. Polamalu injured a knee ligament while tackling Cincinnati’s Cedric Benson on Sunday. He missed four games after hurting a different ligament during Pittsburgh’s opener. If he starts in Kansas City, backup Tyrone Carter would be in the lineup for the sixth time, compared to five starts for Polamalu. Carter also started once for safety Ryan Clark. Polamalu was injured in the first half of two of those five starts.

Eagles: Running back Brian Westbrook has improved significantly since Sunday when he sustained a second concussion in a three-week span, doctors said. Westbrook was evaluated at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and underwent a battery of neuro-cognitive tests, according to a statement released jointly by the Eagles and the hospital. He also had a comprehensive physical and neurological exam that showed favorable results. Dr. Joseph Maroon and Dr. Michael Collins, who are sports concussion specialists, said they plan to repeat the tests in two to three weeks.

Vikings: Cornerback Antoine Winfield gave himself an “85 percent” chance of returning to play this week. Winfield hurt his right foot on Oct. 18 against Baltimore and sat out the last three games. He participated in much of Wednesday’s practice and said afterward the work was “without a doubt” the most he’s done since the injury. Winfield said if he’s not ready for Sunday’s game against Seattle, he’s “100 percent” sure he’ll play the following week against Chicago.

Broncos: The ligaments in Kyle Orton’s left ankle are torn. He certainly isn’t. Orton adamantly wants to start Sunday against San Diego and help the Denver Broncos snap out of a monthlong funk that has wiped out their 31‚Ñ2-game cushion over the Chargers in the AFC West.

Associated Press